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Now that it finally feels like October instead of August, thanks to the arrival of a cold front, Mt. Hood Meadows is making a timely announcement: its planned opening date.
The resort says that it will launch operations for the 2022-23 season on Friday, Nov. 25, the day after Thanksgiving. Hitting the slopes is a post-turkey tradition for many families, provided the conditions are right, and the same snow-pack stipulation applies in this instance. But Meadows is optimistic that it will open by its targeted date.
“The schedule is dependent on snowfall, but with another La Niña season forecast we expect to have weather on our side,” vice president of sales and marketing Dave Tragethon stated in a press release. ”We have also invested heavily in our snow harvesting capabilities to get the mountain open even with meager early season snowfall. We have prepared ourselves to make the most of what natural snow we receive, and during La Niña year’s, that tends to be a lot!”
Meadows finished last season—also a La Niña year—with 499 inches, well above its 430-inch snowfall average. And we’re already off to a good start in 2022, despite our record-high heat this month: The National Weather Service has issued a special statement for snow in the Cascades this weekend.
If we happen to get a big dumping, Meadows is prepared to offer preview days in advance of the official Thanksgiving opening. It also plans to operate through April 29, 2023. So if you somehow made it up to the mountain every day of the season, you could ski for 148 days straight.
Night operations are slated to begin Dec. 15 five days a week (Wednesday through Sunday) through mid-March.
Skiers and snowboarders should keep their eye on Meadows’ website for updates. In the meantime, while you pray for snow, you can plan your December at the resort with this schedule of activities for the month:
Dec. 3-4 Double Mountain Welcome Home Kick-Off Party
Dec. 16-31 Celebrate the Season with pFriem holiday events
Dec. 16 Night operations begin with a pFriem Night Kick-Off Celebration
Dec. 17 pFriem Season Celebration tasting event
Dec. 19-21 Holiday Three-Day Camps
Dec. 22-23 Breakfast with Santa
Dec. 28-30 Holiday Three-Day Camps
Dec. 31 pFriem Family New Year’s Eve